According to the 2014 American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) survey released May, consumer-members belonging to not-for-profit electric cooperatives are more satisfied with their utility than consumers served by either investor-owned (IOU) or municipal utilities. Touchstone Energy Cooperatives received an overall customer satisfaction score of 81 — the highest score for any electric-only utility. IOUs and municipals received scores of 75 and 76 respectively.
Consumer-members gave their electric cooperatives high marks when asked to rate the overall quality of service. According to the ACSI report, “Perceived quality rates are highest among customers of cooperative utilities with a score of 85, followed by investor-owned utilities at 82 and municipal utilities at 81. Quality is the most important driver in determining overall satisfaction with the customer experience.”
“These scores validate the cooperative difference,” said National Rural Electric Cooperative Association CEO Jo Ann Emerson. “Member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperatives put members first and these numbers show why this business model has succeeded and why cooperatives continue to thrive even in uncertain economic times,” Emerson said.
